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March 4, 2008
North Shore Alliance of Gay & Lesbian Youth (NAGLY) has been awarded a $500 "Visibility Mini Grant” from the Mass Youth Against Tobacco, a project of the Medical Foundation in Boston, to send out the message that 84% of Massachusetts youth do not smoke and tell people about The84.org – Massachusetts youth tobacco prevention website.
The grant is one of 30 awarded to youth groups across the Commonwealth as part of Mass Youth Against Tobacco, a program designed to engage Massachusetts youth ages 12 to 18 (or grades 7-12) in the statewide movement against tobacco. Grants were awarded to youth groups from community-based organizations and schools across Massachusetts.
Coco Alinsug, Executive Director of NAGLY said, “Young people often look around their schools and communities and think that everyone around them smokes. We want to let them know that this is not the case – 84% of youth in Massachusetts choose not to smoke, and are often positively engaged in healthy and great activities and causes. We want our young people to realize that not smoking is the norm, and that they have the power and the creativity to help prevent a new generation of young people from becoming addicted to tobacco.”
Grantees will work with their schools and communities to send out the 84.org’s positive social norms message by holding visibility events to get the word out. All of the grantees will be holding a visibility event across the state on National Kick Butts Day.
Coco Alinsug said, “More than 90% of adults who smoke started smoking as teenagers. By spreading the message of The 84, we hope we’ll be able to help prevent another generation of young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and suffering the health and economic consequences throughout their lives.”
"The 84 Visibility Mini-Grants" and Mass Youth Against Tobacco are funded through the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and managed by The Medical Foundation, Boston.
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